Buddy Melges to Coach America True
at Road to America's Cup Regatta in Auckland

SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Harry C. "Buddy" Melges,1992 winning America's Cup skipper, will coach the crew of America True at the first annual "Road to America's Cup" Regatta ("Mini-America's Cup") from April 1-6, 1997.

Buddy will be coaching the team that is making sailing history: America True, the first fully co-ed syndicate to challenge for the America's Cup, headed by CEO Dawn Riley, two time America's Cup and Whitbread Round the World veteran. During the Mini-America's Cup, America True will race head-to-head with challenging syndicates from New York, France and England. The winner of the "mini" challenger series will go on to race Team New Zealand, the winner's of the 1995 America's Cup races. The next America's Cup will take place in the winter of 1999 and spring of 2000.

Melges is internationally known and respected with a long standing and diverse career in sailing. Most recently, Buddy coached America3 - The Women's Team. In 1992 Melges was the winning helmsman of the America's Cup yacht America3. His America's Cup experience extends back to 1987 when he was the head of an American syndicate challenging for the America's Cup inAustrailia. Melges' Olympic successes include a Bronze medal in 1964 in Flying Dutchman and a Gold medal in 1972 in the Soling Class. Buddy has won over 60 major national and international sailing championships and ice boating titles, and is currently the chairman of Melges Boat Works, Zenda, WI.

Melges will join a world class team of former America's Cup sailors, including America True CEO Dawn Riley; America True founding crew member Jeff Madrigali, 1996 Olympic Bronze Medalist; Rod Davis, six-time America's Cup veteran and former helmsman of the OneAustralia syndicate; Merrit Carey, bow, 1995 America3 - the Women's Team; Leslie Egnot, helm, 1995 America3 - the Women's Team; Katie Pettibone, trimmer America3 - the Women's Team. Other members of the crew include former crew from Team Dennis Conner, PACT 95 and Whitbread Round the World Race crews.

America True CEO Riley noted, "We can't be more pleased than to add the experience and skill of Buddy Melges to our team. Buddy is a legend!"

Rather than ship the "International America's Cup Class" ("IACC") yachts around the globe for this week-long event, teams will compete in two Team New Zealand IACC yachts. Sixteen (16) persons normally crew an IACC yacht. For the Mini Cup, twelve (12) team members will be from each respective syndicate, with two (2) observers and two (2) members of Team New Zealand.

The America's Cup is the oldest international sporting event and was first sailed in 1851. American teams have only lost it twice, first in 1983 to Australia and in 1995 to New Zealand.

America True is the first fully co-ed challenge for the America's Cup, and is led by the first woman CEO in America's Cup history, Dawn Riley. In partnership with the San Francisco Yacht Club, America True is devoted to making the America's Cup more accessible to all, and will endeavor to win the America's Cup by combining the best talent, skill and experience available.